


Behind His Mask

by Unscriptedtimetraveler



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi, Other, peter parker x reader - Freeform, spider-man homecoming - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-20
Updated: 2019-01-20
Packaged: 2019-10-13 06:37:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17483027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Unscriptedtimetraveler/pseuds/Unscriptedtimetraveler
Summary: Peter’s nervousness gets the best of him when the reader finds out his identity(originally copied and pasted from my Tumblr)





	Behind His Mask

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings: nothing really besides some angst, an insecure Peter, and a bit of crying but don’t worry there’s fluff!  
> Enjoy!

Your marker tapped against the grainy surface of the wood table as you sat near the center of the library at Midtown Tech, awaiting for Peter Parker yet again. The two of you had been trying to meet up to finish working on a project that you two had for Spanish, but unfortunately the meetup date had been pushed back due to Peter having a few plans here and there. You thought nothing of it knowing that he was probably just helping Aunt May out or had commitments to his new internship, plus Peter had been pretty unorganized the entire time you had known him.  
You opened up your notebook to glance over the outline of the project when you heard the door thrown open followed by light murmuring. Setting the marker down you then looked up to find Peter skidding to a stop and catching himself before he tripped.

“Y/n! I’m so sorry I was late! There was May and you know how she gets when-” he spoke as his voice cracked a tiny bit.

“Pete, it’s alright, I get it. No worries, at least you’re here now.”

He breathed out a sigh and slid into the chair across from yours, “I’m really sorry.”

You only smiled at him with forgiveness before catching him up on some of your ideas for the project.

Peter felt incredibly guilty. This was the third time he had almost stood you up or rearranged the meeting time, and you didn’t seem angry at all. The familiar warm feeling crept up his neck and stained his face crimson as he watched you talk and pull out a few pages of notes.

He’d be lying to himself if he said he didn’t have a crush on you. At first it was small, just quick glances where he would take in your beauty, or a joke here and there to get you to laugh your adorable laugh again, but after a while, it became overwhelming. He knew it was cliche to fall for his friend, one of his best friends, but he quickly gave in to his feelings to the point where it hurt sometimes. Peter had always thought that everything about you was incredible, but something was different now. It was like everything was brighter and clearer and more shiny and wonderful than before. Even during the whole thing last year with Liz, he had never felt this strongly while teetering on the line between crush and first love. Something about you was different and pulling him in, and he didn’t want an explanation or a reason to as why, he wouldn’t be able to explain anyways.

Ned, Aunt May, and Mr. Stark were the only ones who knew about his little dilemma with his feelings. He’d never experienced something like this before. He tried to not make it obvious at all, and though you didn’t notice, Ned certainly did and pointed out when Peter was staring on you, a lovesick gleam in his eyes. Peter would deny it, but the crack in his voice that made its appearance when he got nervous was enough evidence to show that he was lying.

Aunt May also eventually caught on, though Ned was also partially to blame for that one, being a little too loud about Peter trying to “impress a certain someone” at school. May absolutely adored you and nearly screamed when Peter finally confessed that it was you he liked.

Mr. Stark found out when Peter actually went to him, for advice in terms of how to make you notice him more and what he should change about himself to seem “cooler” and all around good enough for you. He remembered the way Mr. Stark sighed at this before placing a hand on his shoulder, simply stating, “Kid, there’s nothing about you that needs to change. You’re a hell of a lot better than I was at your age, and if this mystery woman can’t see that, then you shouldn’t be bothering with her at all, got it? But if you really do wanna go big or go home, I could probably hook you up with a couple little things I’ve been working on down in the lab.”

He wanted to ask you to the upcoming homecoming dance, he really did, but he didn’t want to be rejected, and he was afraid that if you did shockingly say yes, he’d just ruin it like he did the year before. Ditching Liz was one of the worst things he had done to someone, and he’d never ever forgive himself if he had succeeded in asking you out only to perform the same action with you. Besides, around you his confidence would deflate. He’d try not to make himslef nervous and started faking his causal calmness, but on the inside his heart would hammer and his mind would spin at one hundred miles an hour. His cheeks would go pink and his voice would sometimes do the cracking thing it did, but he still tried his hardest to keep his cool.

He had ideas on how to possibly ask you out in the back of his mind, but he couldn’t do it. He was always so nervous and afraid you'd think he was weird or lame or stupid or pathetic. He wouldn’t know how to face the rejection and losing one of his closest friends to the awkwardness.

He’d sometimes talk to you and hang out with you as Spider-Man on your apartment balcony while out, but he and Spider-Man were two different identities. He was fixed on the idea that if he revealed himself to you and you were expecting someone else besides your good old friend “Penis Parker,” then you’d be left disappointed. If he could magically pop on his mask, ask you out as Spider-Man, and swing off into the sunset he would have (and even debated it once or twice, with Ned of course urging him to do so fully). That was beyond his reality though, and even then, it would be Spider-Man getting the girl, not Peter.  
\-----  
A fews hours later, after you and Peter had parted ways, you found yourself on your balcony working on a paper, the sound of fingers on keys and traffic below mixing together. Glancing at the clock, you observed that it was a quarter until eight, and you knew that a certain webslinger would be “stopping by” soon, or at least that’s how he put it.

You would consider yourself close acquaintances with the so-called friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. You had never even considered the possibility that you’d befriend the city’s famous superhero, but after a nasty incident in your neighborhood, Spider-Man had begun to make visits quite frequently. At first it was a simple check in, his thick Brooklyn accent usually ushering out a quick “how are you doing?” or a simple “Any problems? None, good, have a good night...uh... Ma’am?” but with time, he started spending more time on your balcony talking to you as you did your homework. You thought it was strange, however, you welcomed his company.

You looked up from your laptop as you heard the usual “thwip” and “thud” of Spider-Man landing on the railing. You smiled, earning a small salute from the hero.

“Hey Y/n, just wanted to stop over before you know, checking back in for the night, how’s everything?” he said in a thick false accent as he crouched down.

“Hey Spidey, things are good, biology is being a bitch though. How goes the patrol though?”

You couldn’t see it but under the mask Peter was blushing and smiling at the nickname you used for him. Sure other people used it too, but when it came from you it had a different ring to it. 

“I’m sorry biology sucks, is your teacher still making you guys do that research project?”

“Unfortunately,” you gestured to your open laptop before laughing, “But hey, I’m off to a pretty decent start, maybe this paper won’t be entirely garbage.”

The two of you carried on conversation for a bit longer (with Karen’s voice interrupting Peter’s thoughts every now and then, urging him to ask you out and asking if he wanted him to pull up the speech he had prepared), until Peter tensed up at the topic of homecoming, and more importantly, you being asked to homecoming.

“You uh...You got asked huh? That’s great!” he lied, heart feeling like it was going to plummet to the streets below. Had he not had the power he did, he would have slipped off the railing within seconds.

You tapped away on the keyboard before taking your eyes up from the screen, “Yeah, Noah from the baseball team, the one I think I told you about before. We were both in Pre-Calc and he asked me before the bell rang.”

Peter still stood there, looking at you and taking in the confirmation of his fear that someone had already asked you. Of course someone did, you were beautiful, smart, funny, kind. Anyone would have been blind to wait so long. He was blind for waiting so long. Not that he had the courage to attempt, at least as himself, anyways.

“That’s great Y/n, he’s a lucky guy with a gorgeous date who’s sure to make everyone drop their jaws.”

You laughed again, “Sure Spidey, he’d be lucky, but I actually declined.”

The eyes’s on the Spider-Man suit widened visibly at the statement, and Peter walked onto the balcony itself, “What!? Why would you say no, he sounds really great?”

“He isn’t my type. He’s sweet but too much of a flirt for my taste,” you smiled teasing Spider-Man as a joke, “You seem so shocked Spidey, is somebody a little bit jealous?”

“I uh no, I’m n-not jealous. Just wondering you know. He just seems really nice and like someone that would be deserving enough to take you out, you know? You’re a great person, amazing actually, anyone would be lucky to be with someone like you...” he rambled, but he was all over the place. His typical Spider-Man charm was fading, being replaced by his usual awkwardness. He stuttered and his voice even cracked the slightest bit, and he prayed you didn’t notice.

“Look I should uh, I should get going, don’t wanna distract you from your writing. Good luck with that Y/n, see you around,” he said, climbing back up the railing with another salute.  
Your eyes widened, you could have sworn that voice sounded familiar. At first it didn;t because of the heavy Brooklyn accent, but now it was clicking in your head; you knew that voice from somewhere. Beyond the suit, beyond the accent, there was something there but you couldn’t put your finger as to where you heard it before, it’s not like you had talked to Spider-Man today, you only spoke to...that’s not...

“P-Pete?” you said, watching as Spider-Man had his hand up and ready to sling a strand of webbing to the building across the way. You shut your laptop, focusing all your attention of the slightly frozen Spiderman standing on the balcony edge.

Peter’s blood ran cold when you said his name, his real name. You found his identity and he hadn’t planned this far ahead. He wanted to disappear, he wanted to hide and think it through on a rooftop far away from your apartment, but he was on the spot. Should he ignore you and swing away? Should he deny it, or should he be honest? Then you’d know it was him though, and he didn’t want to disappoint you with the revelation that the confident and daring hero you’d befriended, and even confided in at times, was just him, just Peter.  
However, despite his fear, he turned around, stepped down from the balcony, and looked down at the concrete. He shuffled his feet to move closer to the doorframe of your apartment, and as if it were a silent signal, you opened it and let him in, thanking silently that your family was out at the moment. You shut the door behind you, sliding over the curtains as you looked at Spider-Man’s new stance.

His hands were now fumbling with one another, and his head was dropped lower than usual. You could feel the tension and anxiety radiating off of him, and you regretted even uttering the name. You just couldn't help it, he sounded so familiar now, but maybe it wasn’t actually him? But then why was he acting like this, in your living room no less?

Spider-Man looked up at you, trying to say something but nothing came out, instead, he reached up, his gloved hands gripped the edges of his mask. He pulled it upward, brown locks of hair spilling out and tears rolling down his pink cheeks.

“I-I’m sorry Y/n. I’m really sorry,” he said sadly.

Still in slight shock, who wouldn't be upon learning not only Spider-Man’s identity but also that he was someone you were very close with, you looked at him. You instantly felt bad for saying his name. You wouldn't have expected it to be him, but here he was in front of you, crying, you had hurt his feelings and made him cry.

“Pete don-”

“Y/n I should have told you,” he cut you off and you sat down in a chair, mouth still partially agape, “I just couldn’t tell you I mean it’s a secret and even Mr. Stark said not to tell anyone too. I’m also sorry that it’s me and you probably thought I was some really cool guy and someone who could actually not sound stupid and...and...God I’m just really sorry for disappointing you Y/n but please please please don’t tell anyone. Ned’s the only other one who knows...besides Mr. Stark...”

Any ounce of courage and confidence had shriveled up like a flower left in the summer weather. He thought about how pathetic he looked in front of you, how the great and amazing Spider-Man was just simply Peter Parker.

Immediately, you shot up from your chair and wrapped him in a warm hug. Tears pooled in your own eyes at his reaction, he was so scared and worried and disappointed in himself when he had no reason to be.

“Peter Parker, stop. Stop apologizing. I’m the one who should be sorry for putting you in this position. You're not disappointing me at all. You’re Spider-Man and Spider-Man is you,” your arms tightened and you felt his arms slightly settle on your waist, “I wouldn't ever tell anyone about your secret okay? I’m sorry about all this, I really am.”

You felt Peter pull away from the hug and you brought your thumb to his cheeks to wipe a few of his tears. He smiled slightly before letting it fall again.

“I thought about telling you, I mean Ned knew but I...I didn’t want you to be disappointed. Once you saw it was me behind the mask I didn’t want you to think it was someone else and then regret finding out it was me. Peter isn’t as great and cool and liked as much as Spider-Man is.”

“Oh shush Pete, you’re incredible,” your cheeks blushed a gentle rosy hue, “Honestly if anyone is meant to Spider-Man, it’s you Peter. You’re great, you’re really really great. And hey, it explains why you disappear so much.”

A genuine smile crept across his features, and he felt slightly relieved that you weren’t upset that it was him. He flipped his mask in his hands and was about to put it back on before you asked another question

“Hey Pete, I know you gotta go do uh, hero stuff, but could I ask why you reacted to me talking about Noah the way you did? Like if I made you uncomfortable you can tell me.”

He turned more towards you after glancing at the ground, “I uh, um I just...Y/n you’re incredible, and I just, you know you’re...wow...and he’s great and,” he stumbled all over his words, oblivious to the smile growing on your lips, “I I wanted to actually ask and see if maybe, maybe you would have wanted to t-to go to homecoming, with me I mean but I’m not like, I’m no-”

He was cut off by you wrapping your arms around his neck again as you captured his lips into a kiss. Peter dropped his mask, bringing his hands to your cheeks to deepen it, his heart beat going a million miles in his chest. You leaned into him more, savoring every moment with him. Peter truly was a sweet guy, a perfect guy even. Secretly, even before he was Spider-Man, you had thought maybe he had feelings for you like you did him, but you figured you’d only be friends. This moment only proved you wrong though, and you couldn’t be happier. Your fingers wove into his hair as he pulled you ever so closer to his chest, firm arms moving down and hugging your body close, never wanting to let you slip away. When you two did break apart eventually, you gasped for air and stared at him in amazement and wonder.

“You’re amazing Peter. Don’t sell yourself so short, and I would love if we could go together to homecoming.”

Peter’s confidence had suddenly resurged to it’s full charge as he beamed et you. The emotional rollercoaster had smoothed out into happy ending, and he was shocked to hear that you felt the same. The one he cared for and even loved was in front of him right now reciprocating his feelings. Grinning like a kid in a candy store, he scooped you up and twirled you around, placing another small kiss to your cheek.

“Y/n this is going to look really really bad but I kind of left my backpack strapped to a wall I promise I’ll explain later I-”

You kissed him softly on the lips, making him calm down, “It’s okay Pete, I get it now,” you winked.

Smiling and slipping his mask back on, he went over to the railing, peering out to see if anyone was watching too closely, and you followed him out,“I’ll be back in a bit, you’re the best, just...God you’re just so incredible Y/n.”

You smiled, a fluttering feeling in your chest as you watched the masked hero dip below the balcony before swinging off into the heart of the city. You hadn’t expected such an eventful day, but you sure as hell weren’t going to sit an complain about it.


End file.
